Most popular live music act in every state
From your first time attending a concert as a kid to the first time you saw your favorite band in person, live music contains an element of magic for many. There is nothing quite like seeing a master showman command a crowd. From Elvis and the Beatles, to KISS and Aerosmith, all the way up to modern arena-filling artists, every generation experienced the privilege to watch some of the most epic acts of their time rock the stage.
But how do concert preferences change from across the nation? Which artists truly rise above the rest in a given state? To answer this question, Stacker analyzed ticket sales data provided by Vivid Seats to calculate the most popular live act in every state. The rankings are based on total ticket sales from 2014 to end of 2017 for concerts held within each state.
So where does Queen Bey truly rule? And where does Garth Brooks still command the land? Read on to see the most popular live music act in every state.
Alabama: Jimmy Buffett
Runner-up: Florida Georgia Line
Alaska: Luke Bryan
Runner-up: Zac Brown Band
Arizona: Adele
Runner-up: Garth Brooks
Arkansas: Luke Bryan
Runner-up: Bruno Mars
California: Beyoncé
Runner-up: Justin Bieber
Colorado: Justin Bieber
Runner-up: Eric Church
Connecticut: Luke Bryan
Runner-up: Ed Sheeran
Delaware: Brantley Gilbert
Runner-up: Rascal Flatts
District of Columbia: Adele
Runner-up: Taylor Swift
Florida: Justin Bieber
Runner-up: Garth Brooks
Georgia: Beyoncé
Runner-up: Taylor Swift
Hawaii: Bruno Mars
Runner-up: Janet Jackson
Idaho: Twenty One Pilots
Runner-up: Maroon 5
Illinois: Beyoncé
Runner-up: U2
Indiana: Luke Bryan
Runner-up: Garth Brooks
Iowa: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Ed Sheeran
Kansas: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Luke Bryan
Kentucky: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Taylor Swift
Louisiana: Garth Brooks
Runner up: Beyoncé
Maine: Elton John
Runner-up: Ed Sheeran
Maryland: Beyoncé
Runner-up: Garth Brooks
Massachusetts: Kenny Chesney
Runner-up: Taylor Swift
Michigan: Kid Rock
Runner-up: Eminem
Minnesota: Metallica
Runner-up: Luke Bryan
Mississippi: Chris Stapleton
Runner-up: Florida Georgia Line
Missouri: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Taylor Swift
Montana: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Luke Bryan
Nebraska: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Taylor Swift
Nevada: George Strait
Runner-up: Celine Dion
New Hampshire: Luke Bryan
Runner-up: Florida Georgia Line
New Jersey: Coldplay
Runner-up: Taylor Swift
New Mexico: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Luke Bryan
New York: Billy Joel
Runner-up: Adele
North Carolina: Luke Bryan
Runner-up: Taylor Swift
North Dakota: Justin Bieber
Runner-up: Garth Brooks
Ohio: Luke Bryan
Runner-up: Garth Brooks
Oklahoma: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Luke Bryan
Oregon: Justin Bieber
Runner-up: Garth Brooks
Pennsylvania: Beyoncé
Runner-up: Luke Bryan
Rhode Island: Luke Bryan
Runner-up: Twenty One Pilots
South Carolina: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Hootie and The Blowfish
South Dakota: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Paul McCartney
Tennessee: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Adele
Texas: Beyoncé
Runner-up: George Strait
Utah: Justin Bieber
Runner-up: Taylor Swift
Vermont: Pentatonix
Runner-up: Neil Young
Virginia: Luke Bryan
Runner-up: Florida Georgia Line
Washington: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: U2
West Virginia: Garth Brooks
Runner-up: Luke Bryan
Wisconsin: Rolling Stones
Runner-up: Kenny Chesney
Wyoming: Florida Georgia Line
Runner-up: Kenny Chesney
